Game 20

Football Association Women's Premier League Reserve Division League Cup!

Long title and a long afternoon in the company of two teams who are top and bottom of their respective division. The game started tamely enough and I don't think I had more than half a dozen free kicks for anything in the first half. A goal after 12 minutes from the home side was equalised by the away team just 80 seconds later and we were on the verge of reaching half time without a major incident (injury stoppages excluded), then a quick change of feet by the home centre forward and a bone jarring challenge by the away team centre half and I was obliged to issue my first caution.

At half time I spoke to the home captain about the three players from her team who were wearing black undershorts under white shorts. After a short conversation she agreed that they should be removed. I also found that my Club Assistant from the away team had completed her Basic Course for New Referees and was halfway through completing her 6 games of 11v11 which would allow her to qualify as a Level 7 referee. It certainly explained the clarity of her signals during the first half! As the second half started, the home side introduced their only substitute which was to prove costly later on.

The game continued with little more in the way of incident with the away team using all their substitutes but unable to achieve a breakthrough. This was surprising as they were playing against only 10 after the home team lost their goal scorer to a bad knee injury after around 50 minutes. A cynical foul by the home right back on the free running captain of the away team saw her pick up the game's second caution.

With the next interruption coming from a split lip for the home team's centre half I had a few comments from the touchline about examining her lip too closely. In truth, she had done well not to bleed on her shirt or shorts from a nasty split caused by a flailing arm from the away team goal scorer. She came back into the game after greasing her cut with petroleum jelly/Vaseline.

And so (yes I know that's bad grammar) we reached full time without either side scoring a winner. Fortunately the home team managed to add two goals in the second half of Extra Time which avoided the need to decide the game on kicks from the penalty mark. Personally I ached from hip to toe as the pace of the game and 2 hours of football (plus around 8 minutes of added time) had taken their toll. I did a full warm down but I still ached when I got home. 2066 calores burned hr max 90% with an average of 74%. Long, long day ...